Tape for slide fasteners



Nov. 2, 1943. ON S 2,333,314

TAPE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Oct. 21, 1941 INVENTO LESTER L. NES

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT- oFncs TAPE'FQRSLIDEFASTENEBS Lester L. Jones, Oradell, N. 1., assignor to ConmarProducts Corporation, Newark, N. 1., a corporation of New JerseyApplication mm 21, 1941, Serial No. 415,899

' 18 Claims. 01. 139-384) justing the tension so that the tape willremain straight, or will have a slight concavity at the beaded edge. Thesewing operation is commonly performed by the slide fastenermanufacturer, and this makes it necessary to purchase cords and sewingmachine thread of exactly the same color as the tape, the latter beingdyed by the tape manufacturer. This color problem is serious because ofthe large number of differently colored tapes required for the garmentindustry.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improvetapes for slide fasteners, and a more specific object is to provide anintegrally woven tape, that is, a tape having a satisfactory bead formedas a part of the operation of weaving the tape, and prior to the dyeingoperation. I g

A number of proposals have heretofore been made for integrally weaving ahead on 'a tape. These tapes havefor the most part used a woven sleeveenclosing a cord or stumng to form the bead. Such a tape has not provedsatisfactory, as it does not provide as good a hold for the elements asa tape with two cords, andis relatively stifl.

Even with two cords held in position by the regular weft threads of thetape, there is the disadvantage of exposing the weft threads to abrasionby the Jaws of the fastener elements, and in some cases even to abrasionby the slider.

Wear or tearing of the weft threads releases the I provide a beaded edgewhich is relatively soft and well adapted to accommodate andto conformto the interior of the jaws of the fastener elements; to provide a tapehaving an integrally woven beaded edge which is stronger underdestruction tests, than conventional sewed cords;

to provide a tape which will be more uniformly gripped by the successivefastener elements; and finally, to provide a tape the cords of which arereadily separable from the tape at one end The specification isaccompanied by a drawing a when makinga fully separable slide fastener.

To accomplish the foregoing and such'other objects as will hereinafterappear, my invention consists in the beaded tapeelements and theirrelation one to the other, as hereinafter are a more particularlydescribed in the specification and sought to be defined in the followingclaims.

in which:

Fig. l is a section through the beaded edge of a tape', taken betweenfastener elements, prior v to clamping of the jaws of the fastenerelement;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts after theJaws of the fastener element have been closed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at the-beaded edge of the tape;

Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view taken approximately in the plane ofthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig; 5 is a schematic sectional view taken approximately in the plane ofthe line 5-5 of 1"18. 3;

cords separated to show the; construction or weave of the tape;

Fig. 9 is explanatory of a modified. construe? tion; and

Fig. 10 shows the direction of preferred curva-' ture of the tape.

Referring to the drawing, and more specifically to Figs. 1 and 2, theprinciple underlying the present invention may be explained by bringingout the fact that the beaded edge of my invention employs not onlybuffer cords II at each side of. the tape, but also an anchor cord I!which is disposed at the very edge of the tape and is securely woventherein by the weft threads M. The buffer cords it are located adjacentto the anchor cord II. The plane through the axes of the bufler cordsshould pass on the tape side of the that 'of the buffer cords.

to hold the tape web against escape after the axis of the anchor cord,the latter being a part of the tapeweb and its principalfunction beingslidefastener elements have been clamped in position. The closing of thefastener element jaws I 6 from the open position shown in Fig. 1 to theclosed position shown in Fig. 2, compresses the buffer cords It] so thatthey conform to'the inside of the Jaws IS. The buffer cords hold the orthe tape web of which it is apart is securely.

held against escape. The use of three cords to build up the desired bulkincidentally but importantly results in a relatively flexible beadededge. The anchor cord, while substantially larger in diameter than theregular warpthreads I8 of the tape, is preferably smaller than thebuffer cords- In. It 'is also harder than the buffer cords, as forexample, by using a cord of greater twist than 4 The buffer cords arerelativelylarger in diameter, and are relatively .soft, as for example,by using cords with onlya moderate amount of twist. The buffer cords arepreferably twisted in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 3, in orderto avoid or minimize any tendency of the finished slide fastener totwist. I

The means to hold the buffer cords on the tape may vary. In Figs. 3, 4and I show a preferred construction in which the buffer cords 20 areheld by spaced weft threads 22. The remainder and by far the greaternumber of weft threads 24 pass around the anchor cord 26, as is clearlyshown in-Fig. 4, but do not pass around the buffer cords 20. However, atintervals one of the weft threads passes around the buffer cords 20, as

is shown in Fig. 5, but does not pass around the anchor cord 26.

" threads, these being indicated at 30. The buffer In the specific casehere illustrated, every fourth weft thread is employed to hold thebuffer cords, while three out of four weft threads are employed to holdthe anchorcord. The number of threads used to hold the bufle'r cords maybe due to the exposure of a greater number of weft threads to abrasionand wear, and a reduction in the number protected against wear; If alesser number of threads is usedto hold the buffer cords,

as for example, if .one thread in five is usedfor that purpose, thebuffer cords tend to become too .loose on the tape, from the viewpointof easy handling, as for example, when pulling the tape through theclosely fitting die of the attaching machine which clamps the elementson the tape. The cords may creep' (hold back) or rollrelative to thetape body. Of course, the quantitative ratio may varywith the closenessof the particular weave urider consideration and the strength andtension of the weft threads used, etc., and I may therefore point out ina general way that the 3 optimum number of weft threads to be used forholding the butter cords in position should-be relatively small, on theone hand, in order to minimize the exposure of weft threads to abrasion,and on the other hand, should not be so small as to create aninconvenient looseness of the buffer cords making the same difficult orinconvenient to handle during attachment of the fastener elements. i

In Figs. 6, 7 and '8, Ishow a modification of the invention in which thebuffer cords are disposed outside of all of the weft threads, or inother words, in which all of the weft threads pass around the anchorcord alone, and none pass around the buffer cords. To hold the buffercords in position,- prior'to clamping of the elements on the tape,several of the warp threads are given a leno weave, that is, they arepassed through .a

heddle which is arranged for sideward movement inorder to transpose thethread at intervals, as will be understood by those skilled in theweaving art. Thus, referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the anchor cord 28 isheld by all of the regular weft cords 32 and 34 are held by leno woventhreads .36 and 38, respectively. This construction Willibe clearer frominspection of Fig. 8, which islllike Fig. 6 except that the parts havebeen spaced 'to expose the weave employed, that is, the buffer cords32and 34 have been pulled away from the tape .and the anchor cord 28. Thisexposes the course of thread 36, which is a warp thread lo-' cated atthe right-hand side of the tape, but passing through the tape to theleft and around the buffer cord 32 at intervals, which in this case arespaced by four weft threads. Similarly, the leno thread 38 is located atthe left-hand'side of the tape, but passes to the right through the tapeat intervals to formloops around the buffer cord 34. It will beunderstood that the lenowoven threads 36 and 38 are disposed in back ofthe anchor cord, and that when these threads are pulled taut the buiferoords 32 and 34 will be drawn in against the sides of the tapeimmediately at the anchor cord. The buffer cords are shown twisted inlike direction, and opposite to the F to work better, and I thereforeprefer the latter. Another illustration of a leno woven construction isvshown in Fig. 9, which is a schematic view looking at one side of thetape. In this view only .one buffer "cord and leno thread are shown, butit will be understood that a similar buffer cord and leno thread areprovided on the opposite side of the tape. In Fig. 9, all of the weftthreads 42 pass around the anchor cord 40. Ther are additional warpthreads immediately back of the anchor cord 40, 8.515 indicated by thethread 'or 46, or both. As a, matter of fact, in all of theconstructions shown. the warp. threads may run right up to the anchorcord, and a few of them may be disposed between the buffer cords eventhough the schematic illustrations in the drawing may tend to create theimpression that there is no It will be observed that the leno. I

tape. A similar leno woven thread is provid for the opposite buffercord.

The maximum dimension of the three-cordedge should be small enough' tofit between the spreadjaws of the element before the laws are closed. Itis desirable, for example, that the element when being fed to the tapeshould not roll the buffer cords back away from the edge of the tape. onthe other hand, the total mass of the two buffer cords, the anchor cord,the few warp threads between the buffer cords, and the weft threads, orin other words, the total mass of the fabric'inside the element jaws,should be big enough to provide a firm attachment when the Jaws areclamped on the tape Another dimensional requirement is that the anchorcord should be big enough to really anchor the tape to the elements.More specifically, the anchor cord should be bigger in diameter than thespace between the tips of the clamped jaws. Of course, the effectivediameter of the anchor cord is somewhat larger than its actual diameter,in that the weft threads are wrapped closely therearound and helpenlarge the same. The buffer cords should be large enough and so locatedthat when they are squeezed down by the jaws of the elements, theyshould nearly completely envelope the weft threads in order to protectthe same. In respect to their location, the buffer cords should be closeto the anchor cord, rather than far back of the same, for in the lattercase the weft threads wound about the anchor cord would be largelyexposed to abrasion by the fastener elements.

The. tape is preferably given a slight initial concavity at the beadededge, as is schematically indicated in Fig. 10. This is desirablebecause the beaded edge is lengthened somewhat when the elements areclamped thereon, thus providing a finished fastener which is straight,and which, if it departs from being straight, is preferably concaverather than convex at the elements, because the latter produces aso-called "bum py fastener.

having a separable bottom stop for use on coats or other applicationswhere the two sides of the. fastener must b entirely separable from oneanother. In manufacturing such a fastener, it is customary to reverselyfold the lower ends of the tape before securing the halves ofthe-separable bottom stop thereto. However, to avoid xcessive bulk offabric at the beaded edge, the

To produce the desired initial concavity, the

cords of the beaded edge are preferably stretched or placed under ahigher tension than the regular warp threads during the weavingoperation. The thus initially stretched threads tend to contract whenthe tape leaves the loom, and so produce the desired concavity. Thetension applied to the cords should be considerably higher than thatapplied to the warp threads. i

It is also important that the buffer cords be held tightly to the anchorcord and tape, because otherwise, the buffer cords may tend to becomeexcessively loose, permitting them to be displaced from proper positionbefore or during the attachment of the elements. It is important thatthe jaws be clamped around all thre cords. and

it is further desirable that the buffer cords be held so close to theanchor cord that they will be compressed around the anchor cord andthereby .protect the otherwise exposed loops of weft thread around theanchor cord.

It is believed that the improved tap of my invention, as well as themany advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detaileddescription. The weft threads are protected cords are removed from thereversely folded end of the tape. This has been a tedious and difficultjob with prior tape constructions, but is readily accomplished with thepresent tape, for the buffer cords are relatively looselyheld inposition by only a few spaced loops of thread.

Before closing, it may be pointed out that while I have illustrated theinvention in simplest form employing a single anchor cord and two buffercords, it is theoretically possible to practice the invention whileusing a plurality of smaller anchor cords instead of one large 'anchorcord. or a plurality of smaller buffer cords on each side of the tape,instead of a single large bufler cord, the important thingv being, ofcourse, that all or most of the weft threads are to pass around theanchor cords alone, but not around the buffer cords, the latter beingheld mainly by the clamped jaws of the fastener elements, althoughpreliminarily held on the tape by appropriate means, such as a spacedfraction of the weft threads, or warp threads woven with a leno weave.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my inventionin several preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be madein the structures disclosed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

1 claim: 1. Atape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weftthreads, said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weftthreads,

a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing .on the'tape side of the axis of the anchorcord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the jaws of the-fastener elements are clamped thereover. 2. A tapefor slide fasteners of woven warpthreads and weft threads, said tapecomprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads,

a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchorcord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, and means to .hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the jaws against abrasion by the fastener elements. The

beaded edge of the tape is very flexible. .The beaded edge is softenough to conform readily to the inside shape of the element jaws. Themany disadvantages of sewed cords-are eliminated.

One specific advantage of the present tape arises in connection with themanufacture of fully separable slide fasteners, that is, slide fastenersof the fastener elements are clamped thereover, said buffer cords beinglocated outside most or all'of the weft threads and helping to protectthe same against abrasion by the jaws.

3. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weftthreads,

I a bufier cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchorcord, and means to hold the bufier cords in position until the iiaws ofthe fastener elements are clamped thereover, said buffer cords being,located outside most or all of the weft threads and helping to protectthe same against abrasion by the jaws,

said buffer cords being relatively soft and large in diameter, and saidanchor cord being relativelyhard and smaller in diameter althoughsubstantially larger than the regular warp threads of the tape.

(5. A tape for. slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads, abuffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes of saidbuffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of but very close tothe anchor cord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than theregular wa threads of the tape, and means to hold the buife cords inposition until the jaws of the fasten r elements are clamped 'thereover,,said buffer ords being located outside most or all of th weft threadsand helping to protect the same a ainst abrasion by the Jaws, saidbuffer cords being relatively lightly twisted, and said anchor cordbeingrelatively tightly twisted."

, 5. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads,

, a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of but very closeto the anchor .cord, and means to hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the" jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, themaximum dimension of the resulting three-cord; edge being small enoughto fit between the spread jaws of the fastener element before the jawsare clamped together, but the total mass of the fabric within the jawsbeing large enough to provide a firm attachment when the jaws areclamped together, and the anchor cord being larger in diameter than thespace between the tips of the clamped aws. l

6. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor eord held at one edge by weft threads,

'a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of theanchorc'ord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than theregular warp threads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer cords inposition until the Jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover,

said means. consisting of rather widely spaced weft threads which runabout'the buffer cords but 'not about the anchor cord, the interveningand numerically greater number of weft threads passing about the anchorcord but not about the buffer cords.

7. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads, 5

a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchorcord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the Jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, saidmeans consistingof every fourth weft thread, said fourth weft threadpassing about the buffer cords but not about the anchor cord, and thethe Jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, said buffercords being located outside most of the weft threads and helping toprotect the same against abrasion by the jaws, said buffer cords beingrelatively soft and large in diameter, said anchor cord being relativelyhard and smaller in diameter although substantially larger than theregular warp threads of thetape, the anchor cord being larger indiameter than the space between the tips of the clamped Jaws, theaforesaid means for holding the buffer cords in position consisting ofrather widely spaced weft threads which run about the buffer cords butnot the anchor cord, the intervening and numerically greater number ofweft threads passing about the anchorcord but not the buffer cords.

'9. A tape for slldefasteners of woven 'warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads,

1 a buffer com on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the-anchorcord, and means to hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the Jaws ofthe fastener elements are clamped thereover,-'said buffer cords beinglocated outside most of the weft threads and helping to protect the sameagainst abrasion by the jaws, said buffer cords being relatively softand large indiameter, said anchor cord being-relatively hard and smallerin diameter although substantially larger than the regular warp threadsof the tape, the anchor cord being larger in diameter than 'the spacebetween the tips of the clamped jaws, theaforesaid means for holding thebuffer cords in position consisting of every fourth weft thread,

v said fourthweft thread passing about the buffer cords but not theanphor cord, and the intervening three out of four weft threads passingo an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads,

intervening three out of four weft threads passing about the. anchorbuffer cords.

8. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and. weft threads,saidtape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads, abuffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane cord but not about the,7 through the axes of said buffer cords passing on thin tapsideof theaxis of the anchor cord; and meam o-hold the buffer cords in positionuntil about the anchor cord but not the buffer cords;

I 10. A tape for siidd fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising a buffer cord on each side of the tape, the planethrough the axes of said buffer cords passing on the tape side of theaxis of but very close to the anchor cord, said anchor cord beingsubstantially larger than the regular warp threads of the tape, andmeans to hold the buffer cords in position until the laws of thefastener elements are clamped thereover, said buffer cords being 10-cated outside most of the weft threads and helping to protect the sameagainst abrasion by the Jaws, said buffer cords being relatively lightlytwisted, and said anchor cord being relatively tightly twisted, theaforesaid means for holding the buffer cords in position consisting ofrather widely .spaeedweft threads which run about the buffer cords butnot the anchor cord, the intervening and numerically greater number ofweft threads passing about the anchor cord but not the bufl'er cords.

'11, A tape for slide fasteners of woven warpthreads and weftthreads-said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weftthreads, 9. buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through theaxes of said buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of theanchor cord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than theregular warp threads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer cords inposition until the Jaws ,of the fastener elements are clampedthereoven.

said means consistingof warp threads twisted leno fashion about thecords whereby the buffer cords are disposed outside of all of thethreads.

12. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads,abuffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes ofsaid buffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchorcord, said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer cords in positionuntil the jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, saidmeans consisting of warp threads transposed at intervals over the buffercords and linked or interwoven with the weft threads after eachtransposition, whereby the buffer cords are disposed outside of all ofthe weft threads and help protect the same against abrasion by the jawsof the fastener elements.

13. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads, 2.buffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes of saidbuffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchor cord,and means to hold the buffer cords in position until the jaws of thefastener elements are clamped Weft thereover, said bufl'er cords beingrelatively soft outside of all of the weft threads.

14. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads. abuffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes of saidbuffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of but very close tothe anchor cord, and means to hold the buffer cords in position untilthe jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, said buffercords being relatively soft and large in diameter, said anchor cordbeing relatively hard and smaller in diameter although substantiallylarger than the regular warp threads of the tape, the aforesaid meansfor holding the buffer cords in position consisting of warp threadstransposed at intervals \over the buffer cords and linked or interwovenwith the .weft threads after each transposition, whereby the buffercords are disposedoutside of all of the weft threads and help protectthe same against abrasion by the jaws of the fastener elements.

15. A tape for slide fasteners of woven warp.

threads and weft threads, said tape comprising an anchor cord held atone edge by weft threads. a buffer cord on each side of the tape, theplane through the axes of said buffer cords passing on the tape side .ofthe axis of but very close to the anchor cord, said anchor cord beingsubstantially largerthantheregularwarpthreadsofthetape,

' and means to hold the buffer cords in position tively lightly twisted,and said anchor cord being relatively tightly twisted, the aforesaidmeans for holding the buffer cords in position consisting of warpthreads transposed at intervals over the buffer cords and linkedor'interwoven with the weft threads after each transposition, wherebythe buffer cords are disposed outside of all of the weft threads andhelp protect the same, against abrasion by the jaws of the fastenerelements.

16. A slide fastener comprising a tape of woven warp threads and Weftthreads having a corded edge and a series of fastener'elements havingjaws clamped around the corded edge of the tape, the tape comprising ananchor cord held by the weft threads of the tape, a bufi'er cord on eachside of the tape, the plane through the axes of said buffer cordspassing on the tape side of the axis of the anchor cord, said anchorcord being substantially larger than the regular warp threads of thetape, and means to hold the buffer cords in position until the jaws ofthe fastener elements are clamped thereover, the clamped jaws of thefastener elements operating to compress the buffer cords around theanchor cord so as to largely envelope and thereby protect the loops ofweft thread around the anchor cord from abrasion by the jaws of thefastener elements.

17. A tape for slide fasteners of woven" warp threads and weft threads,said tape comprising an anchor cord held at one edge by weft threads, abuffer cord on each side of the tape, the plane through the axes of saidbuffer cords passing on the tape side of the axis of the anchor cord,said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, and means to hold the buffer' cords in positionuntil the jaws of the fastener elements are clamped thereover, saidanchor cord and buffer cords being woven under considerably highertension than the regular warp threads, whereby said tape is given aslight concavity at the corded edge.

18. A slide fastener comprising atape of woven warp threads and weftthreads having a corded edge and a series of fastener elements havingJaws clamped around the corded edge of the tape,'the tape bomprising' ananchor cord held at one edge of the tape by weft threads of the tape,said anchor cord being substantially larger than the regular warpthreads of the tape, a buffer cord on each side at the anchor cord, thebuffer cords being received within the Jaws of the fastener elements,and means to hold the buffer cords in position prior to clamping of theJaws of'the' fastener element thereover, said means consisting of ratherwidely spaced weft threadswhich run about the buifer cords but not theanchor cord, the intervening and numeri- 'cally greater number of weftthreads B about the anchor cord but not the buffer cords, the clampedjaws of the fastener elements compressing and spreading the buffer cordsarc of the anchor cord so as to largely envelope a d thereby protect'the loops of weft thread around the anchor cord from abrasion by theJaws of the fastener elements.

. LES'I'ER L. JONES.

